Dual-actuating unleakable faucet



Aug. 17, 1937. G E RlpLEY 2,090,309

' DUAL ACTUATING UNLEAKABLE FAUCET Filed oct. 15, 1936 Z5 ,30 z /3 7W Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i DUAL-ACTUATING UNLEAKABLE FAUCET Giles E. Ripley, Fayetteville, Ark.

Application October 15, 1936, Serial No. 105,724 4 claims. (o1. 251--,20)v

This invention relates to faucets, to valves, and to valve-actuators, and especially to an improved faucet, that is, a dual actuating, unleakable faucet.

One object of this invention is to provide, in a faucet, an improved, positive and practical two-way valve-actuator which enables the valve to close when operated by merely pushing or depressing and releasing, and which prevents the valve from closing when the valve actuator is rotated or turned and not returned toits normal position.

Another object is to provide an improved faucet that has no need of packing around its valvestem to prevent leakage around the valve stem or around the actuator, inasmuch as the flo-W of liquid through the restricted-throat (hereinafter described) creates an inward suction. of air which repels any tendency which the liquid 0 might possibly have to press through the joint around the valve-stem.

Another object is to provide in a valve, an actuating means or manipulator which is adjustable to an infinite number of positions for hold- 5 ing the valve in an infinite number of positions between the closed and wide-open positions, so as to regulate the flow to any desired rate between the minimum and maximum rate of flow.

Another object is to provide a valve-actuator o that is operable to quickly stop any leakage around the valve-closure, in case such leakage is caused by an obstruction such as a gravel or grain of sand in the valve, by depressing the actuator and quickly releasing it, so the impact either displaces the obstruction, crushes it, or imbeds it in the conformable valve-seat.

Another object is to provide an improved faucet that Vis not vonly thoroughly practical from a standpoint of the users, but also thoroughly practical from the standpoints of the manufacturer and dealer, inasmuch as it consists of very few essentiallyseparate or originally separate parts, so it can be manufactured at a low production-cost and can be sold at good profits for manufacturer, ydistributers and retailers, while retailing at a reasonable price to the user.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view mainly in central vertical section, only parts of the valve-stem and actuator being in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, as seen from the right of Fig. l when the inner element of the dual-actuator is omitted or removed, the normal position of the actuating lever or handle being indicated in a dot-dash line bowed at its upper extremity.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View .of the externally -5 threaded outer actuating element, considering Figs. l and 2 to show the normal position of the faucet, parts of the inner actuating element herein also being shown in full `and dotted lines, and the assembling position (hereinafter del0 scribed) being indicated in dot-dash lines.`

Fig. 4 shows a fragment of the actuating lever,

a plan View thereof considering Figs. 1 and 5 as showing it in its normal position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the inner actuat- 15 ing element having its handle broken 01T, that is, a fragmental view of the actuating leverremoved from the outer actuating element.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view, the section being along the line 6 6 of Fig. 1,.

Referring to the .drawing in detail, in which, similar parts are referred to by similar reference numerals in the drawing and following specication, the invention is described in detail as follows:

The seven primarily or initially separate parts of the faucet are the main body I0, the valveseat II, the valve-member I 2, the valve-guide I3, the valve-lever or inner actuator I4, the outer actuating element I5, and the single securing and limiting element or screw I 6.

The main body i0 is formed with any appropriate means for securing it to a liquid container, for instance, screw-threads I1, and with a shoulder I8 on which the annular valve-seat is disi posed, this valve seat II being of leather or any other appropriate conformable material. The body I0 also includes a tubular part I9 in-which the valve-seat is disposed near the inlet end, said tubular.' part including the spout or liquid outlet 2D. Considering the aXis of rotation of the body I0 when being threaded at I'I or at 2|, or 4the axis of rotation of a boring tool in making the bore 22 in the body Ill, it is seen that this bore `22 is axially alined with thel cylindrical cavity 23 that is surrounded by the screwthreads 2| and that is directly in open communication with an arcuate channel o-r groove 24 into which the screw or limiting element I6 extends from the member I5 (see Fig. 2). 50

The member I5 is apertured and screwthreaded at 25 (Fig. 2) to receive the screw I6 when in normal position of the latter, but the i latter may be retracted so `as to permit vthe member I5 to be screwed into the internally f55 threaded cavity 23 to its normal position, then purposes. While the material at the ends of the n groove 24 constitute the means to combinev with l5 the screw I6 for limiting the combined rotary and axial movement of the member I5, various other devices can be substituted for the limiting means here specically described and which also serves as a securing means to prevent accidental separation of the parts I0, I2, I4, and I5, which securing means is quickly operable to release said parts and permit them to be removed or separated for any desirable purpose.

The valve-member I2 includes the closure 25 having an annular cavity 26 around the inner end of the valve-stem 21 where the latter is united with the closure. The outer end of the valvestem is formed with a ball or connecting element 28 that is united with the main part of the valvestem by an integral neck 29. Moreover, the valvemember includes a hollow cylindrical delector and passage-restricting sleeve 30 which, when the valve is open and liquid is ilowing therethrough, deflects the liquid from centripetal stream-lines to parallel stream-lines over and past the annular joint 30a for preventing backpressure at said joint and for inducing a suction of air or other fluid or gas through said joint for positively repelling any tendency of the liquid to back-press through said joint, thereby not only eliminating the necessity for packing or leak-proofing, but also permitting the valve stem to be quite loosely slidable in the guide or bearing-tube I3 so no lubrication is needed. The

outer end of the tube I3 is tightly fitted in the bore or aperture 22 so as to be xed with respect to the body I0 and substantially integral with the latter, while the inner end of this tube I3 is within the annular cavity 26 and surrounded by the closure and the combined deflecting and passage-restricting element 30.

The inner actuating element or valve-actuating lever I4 has flat parallel faces loosely tted between parallel walls 3| of the member I5, so as to be slidable in the latter. The inner relatively narrow face of the member I5 is bored or apertured at 32 and slotted at 33 to receive the head 28 and neck 29 of the valve-stem 21, so the latter is held in place when the faucet is being handled before being put to use, and so the valve can be opened against pressure of the liquid, when in use, by inw-ard movement of the middle part of the member I4 when the handle I4a` is pushed inward, or by a combined rotary and axial motion of the dual-actuator I4-I5 that is, a turning of the dual actuator on its helical track 2I, by swinging the handle I4a around the axial line of the valve-stem; in this latter motion, utilizing the screw-threads 2I and the corresponding or interengaging screw-threads I5a in cooperation with the members I3 and I4 for depressing the valve-closure and opening valve. When the handle I4a is depressed and released, the pressure of liquid returns the valve to closing or closed position, provided the member I5 is in its normal position here shown in Fig. 1; butl if the member I5 is turned clockwise from the position shown, thereby -advancing the members I4, I5, and I6 helically that is, around the screw-threads, this motion depresses the valve closure and opens the valve, and if not returned to normal, lholds the valve-closure in its open position or partly open position, according to whether the dual actuator is at the limit of its advanced movement or at any one of its infinite number of effective positions between it limits of movement.

Even when the valve is open to its widest extent and maximum capacity, the orifice around the valve-closure and passage-restricting sleeve 30 is less capacious than the spout 20 which latter is also lower than the valve and exerts a syphoning effect, while the rush of liquid through the restricted throat, around the combined deflector and passage-restricting sleeve 30, cooperates with the syphonic spout to eliminate or prevent any backpressure of the liquid at the joint 30a; but on the other hand, the rush of liquid through the restricted throatand past the joint 30a induces a draught of air from the cavity 23 through the joint around the valve-stem and -around the inner end of the tube I3 to further resist any tendency of back-pressure at the joint 30a.

In effect, the member I4 is pivotally connected to the body IIl, and yet, no actual pivot or pintle is used or needed, the ralorum-element 32a being substituted for the pivot at first intended to be used, this fulcrum-element being an integral part of the member I4 and extending through an opening at one end of each wall 3| (as best shown in Fig. 3), thence between screw-threads 2I, one of the screw threads or helices I5a having a segment cut out to provide room for the element 32a as a fulcrumi having its seat interengaged with the adjacent helices` of the internal screw-threads of the member I0; so as may be clearly seen, this fulcrum 32a is always between adjacent ends of the severed screw thread or.

helix I5a, regardless of the position of the latter with respect to the member I0; and now, assuming that the handle I4a is pushed toward the body IIJ, the whole lever I4, movingV about the center of its fulcrurn 32a will push the valvemember I2 to its open position, and on releasing the handle- I4a, the liquid pressure on the valve closure, will return all the depressed elements to normal; but, assuming that the handle be not depressed, but rotated about Vthe axis of the valve-stem in clockwise direction, the valve-cloisure will be pushed open only to the extent of rotary and axial movement of the members I4 and I5, and will be held at that open or partly open position even after the handle is released, and until the handle is manually returned to its normal position, thus permittingrthe liquid pres:- sure to close the valve. e

Assuming all the seven parts to be separate, in the course of manufacture, and are to be assembled: The valve-guide or tube I3 is; first pressed into tight-tting engagement with the wall of the bore 22, or secured by a shrinking or a sweating method, or may be taper-tted soi the liquid pressure tends to make it tighter; next, the valve-seat I I is: seated; third, the valve-stem. is passed through the tube I3 and pfrotrudes intoi the cavity 23; fourth, the member I4 is properly engaged with the threads 2I by means` of the fulcrum 32a and engaged with the head 28 of the valve-stem by means of the walls' of the slot 29 and bore 22; fifth, the handle I4a is passed through central rectangular opening` in the member I5, and the latter is started into the cavity 23 and screwed inward while the member I4 turns therewith, the fulcrum. 32a sliding along the helices 2| until the normal position is attained for the members I5 and l0 With respect to one another; and sixth, the screw or limiting element I8 is placed so it is in proper relation with the cooperating or correlated abutments (ends of the slot or groove 24) thus completing the assembling of the originally or primarily separate parts.

The inventor has no intention to limit his patent protection to the precise and exact details of construction and arrangement specified in the foregoing, or as shown in the drawing, for the invention is susceptible of numerous and various changes within the scope of the broad inventive ideas as here implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a faucet or the like, a main body having a substantially evenly curved fluid passage therethrough inclusive of an inlet and anv outlet, a valve-seat in the inlet of said passage, a valveclosure normally seated against said valve-seat and provided with a valve-stern which is depressible for moving the valve-closure from the valve-seat, said main body having a tubeunited therewith and disposed substantially tangentially to the curvature of said fluid p-assage and providing a guide through which said valve-stem extends into operable position, and said valveclosure having thereon deflecting mleans to deect a stream of fluid away from the interior' of said tube, the flow-capacity of the said passage being restricted around said de-iiec-tor and valveclosure and expanded and unobstructed at the outlet side thereof and to the outlet end of the said passage, thereby preventing back pressure of the liquid or fluid and thus preventing leakage around the valve-stem.

2. In a faucet or the like, the combination of a main body having a passage therethrough, having an internally screw-threaded recess or cavity therein, and having an opening or aperture extending from said passage to said cavity; a valve-seat in said passage; a valve-member including a valve-closure and a valve-stem in cooperative relation to said Valve-seat for constituting a valve; said valve-stem extending through said aperture into said cavity; an externally screw-threaded member having its threads interengaged with the threads of said internally screw-threaded cavity and movable toward and from said valve-seat and provided with means to limit its movement and having a substantially rectangular opening therethrough; and a valveactuating element having a part slidable in said rectangular opening' and a part engaged with said valve-stem for actuation of said valve by pressure exerted through the outer part of said rectangular opening; said valve-actuating element being rotatable with said externally screwthreaded member for cooperating with the latter so as to open the valve to any predetermined extent within minimum and maximum limits and to maintain said valve at said predetermined extent of opening until the said externally screwthreaded member is manually returned to its normal position.

3. The combination dened by claim 2, said valve-actuating element being a lever having a fulcrum interengaged with the screw-thread of said internally screw-threaded cavity and having a handle protruding outward from said rectangular opening and adapted to be swung towards said valve for opening the latter and also adapted to be swung about the axial line of said screw-threaded cavity for causing the externally screw-threaded member to have a rotary and axial motion.

4. In a faucet or the like, the combination of a main body having a passage therethrough including a longitudinally curved main part which has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end having therein a valve-seat, a valve-closure normally seated against the inlet side of the valveseat and projecting through the valve-seat to a point beyond the inlet side of the latter' in the proper relation for restricting the said passage around the valve-closure While the remainder of said passage is suiiiciently unrestricted and unobstructed to permit fluid to iiow freely therethrough without any back-pressure at or near said valve-closure, and a tube united with said main body and extending substantially tangentially to the curvature of said passage and substantially to said valve-seat, said valve-closure being provided with a stem that is united therewith and extends through said tube, said valveclosure having therein an annular recess around the part of said stem that adjoins said vaiveclosure, said tube having one end within said annular recess, for the purposes specified.

GILES E. RIPLEY. 

